Yielding-door mechanism



March 4, 1930. H. F. FLOWERS 1,749,530

YIELDING DOOR MECHANI SM Filed May 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet l March v -1, 1930. H. F. FLOWERS YIELDING DOOR MECHANISM Filed May 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 March 4, 1930. H. F. FLOWERS YIELDING DOOR MECHANISM Filed May 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 March 4, 1930. H. F. FLOWERS 1,749,530

YIELDING DOOR MECHANISM Filed May 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Mar. 4, 19 30,

miner roar rnownns, or" FINDLAY, OHIO PATENT OFFICE.

YIELDING-DOOR MECHANISM This application relates to improvements in dump vehicles, and more particularly concerns the door operating and controlling mechanisms for such vehicles.

The improvements in such vehicles according to the present invention are applicable to any type of vehicle having a dump body which tilts or rocks relative to the frame for dumping: whether the body be normally mounted upon a single central fulcrum or upon spaced lateral-fulcrums.

In my Patent N 0. 1,611,012, granted Dec.

14, 1926, a vehicle is disclosed in which the body is supported in stable equilibrium durmg normal transport, and no latches are employed tomaintain the body in this position.

In this patent thereis shown a construction whereby the doors open gradually during the tiltingmovement of the body about its ful crums, such fulcrums being at either side of v the body whereby the body will descend by gravity after the tilting movement. The

doors swing with the body, so that they open during the opening movement of the body and close during the closing movement of the body: and are positively held closed except during the tilting of the body about the adjacent fulcrum.

, In my copending applications Serial Nos. 100,576 and.100,577, filed on April 8, 1926, I have disclosed constructions in which the door is permitted to make a movement with respect to its position as controlled by the body, so that, during the tilting movement, if the door should strike an obstacle such as a pile of dirtor the like, the door is released from its control by the body movement, and

,' may even have a relative movement with;

respect to the position. I

The present invention relates to further improvements in such devices, regardless of I whether a single or spaced lateral fulcrums are used: and further concerns the provision of a sacrifice member in the door controlling mechanism, whereby a breaka e of a more expensive part of the structure is avoided, such as might occur under certain conditions, by reason of the sacrifice of this member under such conditions. 1

40 body toward'a more closed through the resilient, ductile or Application filed May 7, 1928. Serial No. 275,759.

} When the body is tilted to provoke a dumping, and the door opens, the permissive movement of the door with respect toits controlling mechanism in the one direction will permit the door to yield without breaking the mechanism or itself, in the event that there is some obstacle to its controlled rocking with the body. During the return movement of the door to the closed position, it is desirable that thebody. should have a positive action 0 upon the door whereby to automatically return it tothe closed position for normal trans port, the body thereafter serving to hold the door in such closed position until a further tilting is accomplished in the given direction. Now, however, it'is found in practice that sometimes a stone or other matter may be come lodged-between the car end and the door; or the door may receive a blow from a swinging-steam shovel scoop, or the like: whereby a strain is brought upon the door, which might injure the door controlling mechanism proper. It is to avoid such injury that the sacrifice member is provided according to the present invention. Such a sacrifice member is intended to yield under such strains, and this yielding may arise frangible nature of the sacrifice member itself.

One of the features of the present invention is, therefore, the provision of such a sacrifice member in the door controlling mechanism.

Another feature of this invention is the provision of a simple construction of the connecting parts of the door. controlling mechanism itself.

A further feature of this invention is the provision of a peculiar door construction whereby the closed door is permitted to yield freely in one direction, but at the expense of the sacrifice member: while it is held positively against movement in the other direction.

Other features of this invention will appear in the course of the following speci cation and claims, in'conjunction with the accompanying drawings, on which is set forth by way of example an illustrative form car, but it will be understood that this form and application is by way of illustration and not of limitation.

In these drawings:

Figure 1 is a transverse section through Fig. 1.

ig. 5 is a similar view on a still larger scale showing the parts in position for the removal and replacement of a ductile sacrifice member.

Fig. 6 is a horizontal sectional view on' line 66 of Fig. 5.

According to the illustrative form shown on the drawings, the invention has a vehicle frame and a vehicle body supported thereon at points laterally spaced from the longitudinal axis, so that the body is supported in stable equilibrium during normal transport,

the body being rockable about fulcrums spaced from the longitudinal axis for producing a dumping of the load. Devices associated with the frame, the dump body and the doors are provided to control the movement of the doors so that they are held normally closed during transport and during tilting toward the opposite side, but are selectively permitted to open by gravity and the weight of a load thereupon during tilting to the adjacent side. The door controlling mechanism comprises links connected to the body and frame and auxiliary links oining the first links with the door, the auxmembers which may extend to permit a movement of the door independently of the movement of the body. One of these telescoping members of the auxiliary link is provided with a sacrifice member, which can yield if too great a strain is placed upon the door, thereby preventing breakage of the door, its hinge elements or the auxiliary link, or elements of the first link. Further, the door is provided with a downwardly extendmg lug engaging with the body construction to prevent more than a predetermined .closing movement of the door.

This sacrifice member is illustrated as reslliently yielding to small strains; but being ductile to accommodate greater strains; and possibly finally rupturing at maximum strainsalthough it is obvious that a sacrifice member may be provided which is resilient, ductile or frangible only instead of comiliary links being composed of telescoping On the drawings, a vehicle frame represented as the longitudinal car beam 10 carries transverse brackets or straddle members 11 having brackets 12 at their outer ends to receive the fulcrum pins 13 mounted on the car body 14. The car body has a floor 15 with reinforcing transverse irons 16 and gusset plates or castings 16*, the floor 15 being downwardly turned at the sides to form a skirt 17 with longitudinal reinforcing irons 18 attached thereto. From point to point of this downwardly turned skirt 17 of the car floor are provided slots to receive the door members 19 which support the door plates 20. The door members 19 are mounted on hinges 21 carried byv the body, but extend downwardly with a normally depending portion 22 below the body hinge 21 to support the removable. door operating pivot pins 23 and a lug 24, the purposes of which will be set forth hereinafter.

Likewise connected to the frame and body are the transverse links T, Ta which extend from a pivot connection 25, 25 on the frame (shown as coaxial with pivot pins 23) across the frame to the other side thereof. and are pivoted to the body in the line of the axis of the pin 13 at the opposite side, and preferably on this pin itself. Each of these links T, Ta has an end 26 extending beyond the respective pivot 13 and carrying a removable pivot bolt 27. i

The frame also carries bearings to receive the trunnion members 28 of a pair of power cylinders C, Ca, these trunnions also being located substantially in the vertical plane of the pivots 13, 25 and 13, 25, and being provided with .the extensible cylinders and pistons 29 to exert an action against the pivot 30 of the car body. It will-be understood that any suitable raising device may be employed, but the present structure has been indicated conventionally, as that described in my copending application Ser. No. 66,791 filed on Nov. 4, 1925, to which application reference is made forthe details of construction and operation. 7

When the power unit C is energized, an up: ward thrustis exerted upon the left hand side of the body in Fig. 1, whereby the body rocks about its right hand fulcrum line 13, Q

25. The transverse link T remains with the frame while the link Ta moves with the body. The. pivot pin 27 of the link .T therefore makes a movement relative to the body 14, and the sleeve 32 pivotally mounted on the pin 27 and the pin 31, telescoping with re spect to the sleeves 32 and carried by the pivot 23, permit the downwardrocking of the door 19, 20 into the position shown in Fig. 1. Finally, the face of the lug 24 which is directed upwardly in such inclined position of thedoor, 19, 20 is brought against a stop'24" fixed on the car floor 15, thus determiningthe limit position of the door in its downward rockin movement.

Meanwhile, the li Ta has remained with the body 14, and by reason of the coaxial relationship of the pivots'13, 25, this link has permitted no movement of the upper door 19, 20, or being the one away from the pivot selected for .tilting, so that this door has remained closed: and by reason of the relationship of the parts, will-be held closed during the return from .tilting and during the normal transport of the vehicle. When the power unit G is permitted to I collapse, the body rocks downward to its normal transport position under the influence of gravity. During this returning movement of the body, the downward thrust along the line of the lmks 31, 32 causes a rocking movement of the door about its body pivot 21 and a ll'return of the door to the closed position of ig. 2. l v If during the opening movement of the door, it encounters an obstacle such as the rock pile B (Fig. 4), the door isprevented from movement, and simply rocks on its body pivot 21 with respect to. the body 14 into the position shown in Fig. 4, for example. During this movement, the inner link member 31 extends with respect to the hollow link member 32, as shown, so that the body moves freely without any blocking action by the door 19, 20. The door may even move into the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4. When the power unit is released, the body will return and the links 31, 32 will telescope until they are again seated with respect to each other, whereupon the bod will normally close the door to the position s own in Fig. 2. It will be noted that the outer link 32 is provided with an enlarged bore to receive the sacrifice member 40 whichis shown as a crushing tube, which in the closed position of the the inner link member 31, so that the entire forcing stress between the transverse link T and'the door 19, is passed through the crushing tubes 40 of the several'door operating elements, it being understood that any desired number of these may be located along the length of the car.

If during the return movement of the body and door toward the closed and transport p0 sitions, an obstruction of any kind-exists between the door and'the body so that the door cannot return to its normal closed position, such, for example,as the stone S of Fig. 3, then the door will be prevented from further movement with respect to the body, but owing to the body movement with respect to the frame and the link T, a continued out ward forcing action occurs between the pivots 27, 23 along the line of the links 31, 32

' and the aacrifice member 40. As a result of .able by the operator of the vehicle, so that door (Fig. 2) fits against a shoulder 41 on this forcing action, the sacrifice member at first yields resiliently within its own elastic limit, and this effect is immediately observordinarily the movement of the body may be stopped before any permanent distortion or deformation of the sacrifice member occurs. If, however, the body is not so stopped, the ductility of the material of the member permits a permanent deformation of this member with a still further yielding under the forcing action. This crushing of-the sacrifice member is usually manifested by a jerk in the closing'movement of the car, and by the readily apparent outward position of the car door 19, 20. In some instances, the ma terial of the crushing tube fails, and a breakage occurs so that this frangible action likewise results in the destruction of the normal operative functions of the sacrifice member, but at the saving of the other parts of the mechanism. Thus, any breakage of the relatively more expensive links 31, 32; any rupture of the door member 19 and its pivots 21, 23;.or the links T or any other part of the car, isprevented.

If the sacrifice member has been strained beyond its elastic limit, and a permanent deformation thereof, has occurred, the train man can replace the car in its former conditionby running it alongside a support such as M in Fig. 5,' 'and rockingthe ower unit onthe side opposite the door to e repaired into the position shown in Fig. 5, in which the pivot 27 is opposite an aperture 50 in the body members 16, 16 while the pivot 23 is opposite an aperture 51 in the member 16*. Normally the pins 23, 27 are held in position between the gusset plates 16 which extend downward from the car floor 15 and are held rigidly spaced thereby at a distance slightly greater than the length of the pins 23, 27. When it is desired to remove the pins,'and

the frame, body and door have been brought into the position shown in Fig. 5, it is possi- 1 ble to drive the pins 23, 27 out of their position relatively in the door members 22, 22 and the end 26 of the link member T, as shown in these figures, through the apertures 51, 50 of the gusset plates 16*. The telescoping system comprising the outer tube 32, the inner pin 31 and the sacrifice member 40 are now entirely released from any connection with the body or door, and may be removed from the vehicle. I The members 31 and 32 are separated, andthe crushed tube 40 withdrawn and a new tube 40 substituted. Themembers are now assembled and replaced in position. Pins 23, 27 are driven back: and the door and body are now ready for normal action again. It will be noted that the ends of the pins 23, 27 and the inner edges of the apertures 50, 51 are beveled so that the pins guide themselves into their proper osition, and since these pins are normally un er stress during operation, there is no tendency toward sliding out of the holes 50, 51 except when the door is blocked up, as shown in Fig. 5, :tmd the pins'are opposite the respective aperures.

It will be understood that the figures show the operation of one element T for the vehicle: and that this structure is repeated for the other elements T and Ta.

Apertures 53 are provided in the outer tube member 32 to permit inspection of the position of the inner telescoping pin 31 during assembly of the parts, so that the position and condition of the sacrifice member may be determined easily.

It is preferred in the illustrated form to provide reinforcements for the car body and door adjacent the several pivots. The door itself is reinforced by longitudinal ties 19 (Fig. 5), while ascraper 19 is provided to fit closely to the curvature of the body bottom 15, which in turn is substantially concentric with the hinge pivot 21: whereby to prevent the sifting of the material from the car body beneath the door plate 20. The depending flange of the body bottom 15 is reinforced by the plates 15 and the tie plates 15, the latter being doubled and formed with an upstandingstop for the lug 24 at the bottom of the door. At the slotted point of the bottom 15 the latter may receive the stiffening boss members '16 formed rigidly with the gusset plates 16 (Figs. 2 and 3) and having the shoe portions 21 engaging the periphery of the cylindrical sleeves 21. of the door supports 19, 22. The'gusset plate 16 may also be stifl'ened by the webs 16 (Fig. 5), on the sides opposite the telescoping members 31, 32. a

In the preferred form of arrangement of parts, illustrated in the present example, the links 31, 32, may be removed andreplaced for substituting a new sacrifice member 40 when the door is about one-third of the way open, as shown in Fig. 5.- It will be noted, further, that the crushing of the tube 40 occurs until the end of the outer member '32 is stopped by the double thickness of the crushed tube 40 and the stop 41 on the inner member31. This represents an opening of the door plate 20 of about 15, or in other words, the car remains capable of holding the major portion of its ture does occur, it normally is not sufiicient to cause the door to remain open as much as 15. Further, such a rupture usually occurs when a part of the load has been dumped," and it is desired to return the body to the nor- 7 mal transport position: in which event the present arrangement aflords a safeguard of the door member. These pads 23 vthere- .fore form in eflfect an extension of the plate 16, and prevent theendwise movement of against a major injury to the car, such as the p the pins 23 when the doors are in closed position.

It will be understood that the illustrative example is merely one form of embodiment of the present invention; and that the invention is not limited to the specific form in which a tubular sacrifice member is employed to respond to strains by springing, crushing, and breaking under successively increased loads; nor to employment with vehicles having'laterally spaced body fulcrums as shown by the illustration; nor to other illustrative details: but that the invention may be employed in nliany ways within the scope ofthe appended c aims.

What I claim as-new and desire to secure by' Letters Patent is 1. In a dump vehicle, a frame, a dump body mounted on the frame to-be tiltable for dumping at either side of the vehicle, a side door pivoted-to said bodyl and adapted to open durtilting of t e body whereby the load to yield when the door isblocked against closing, whereby to avoid a breakage of another part of the vehicle.

2. In a dump vehicle, a frame, a dump body mounted on the frame to be tiltable for dumping at either side of the vehicle, a side door pivoted to said body and adapted to open discharged, and a door controllingduring the tilting of, the body whereby the load may be discha ged, and a door controlling device cooperating with the body and the frame to positively close the door during the return of the body from tilted position, said device including a sacrifice member adapted to yield resiliently when, the door is blockedagainst closing, whereby to avoid a breakage of another part of the vehicle.

' 3. In a dump vehicle, a frame, a. dum body mounted on the frame to be tiltable for umping at either side of the vehicle, a side door pivoted to said bod and adapted to open duringthe tilting o the body whereby the load may be discharged, and a door controlling device cooperating with the body and the frame to positively close the door during the return of the body from tilted position, said device including a sacrifice member adapted to be crushed when the door is blocked against closing, whereby to avoid a breakage of another part of the vehicle.

4. In a dump vehicle, a frame, a dump body mounted on the frame to be tiltable for dumping at either side of the vehicle, a side door pivoted to said body and adapted to open during the tilting of the body whereby the load may be discharged, and a door controlling device cooperating with the body and the frame to positivel close the door during the return of the b0 y from tilted position, said device including a sleeve member and a pin member engaged with each other and acting in compression to close the door, and a sacrifice tube located between said members and adapted to yield when the door is blocked against closing, whereby to avoid a breakage of another part of the vehicle.

5. In a dump vehicle, a frame, a dump body mounted on the frame to be tiltable for dumping at either side of the vehicle, a side door pivoted to said body and adapted to 0 en during the tilting of the body whereby t ve load may be discharged, and a door controlling device cooperating with the body and the frame" to positively close the door during the return of the body from tilted position, said device including a sleeve member and a pin member engaged with each other and acting in com ression to close the door, and a sacrifice tu e located between said members and adapted to yield resiliently when the door is blocked against closing, whereby to avoid a breakage of another part of the machine.

6. In a dump vehicle, a frame, a dump body mounted on the frame to be tiltable for dumping at either side of the vehicle, a side door ivoted to said body and adapted to open uring the tilting of the body whereby the load may be discharged, and a door controlling device cooperating with the body and the frame to positively close the door during the return of the body from tilted position, said device including a sleeve member and a pin member engaged with each other and acting in com ression to close the door, and a sacrlfice tube ocated between said members and adapted to be crushed when the door is blocked against closing, whereby to flyciid a breakage of another part of the ve- 7. In a dump vehicle, a frame, a dump body mounted on the frame to be tiltable for dumping at either side of the vehicle, a side door pivoted to said body and adapted to 0 en during the tilting of the body whereby t e load may be discharged, and a door controlling device cooperating with the body and the frame to positively close the door during the return of the body from tilted position, said device including a sleeve member and a pin member telescopically engaging with each other, said door being connected to one of said members so that a relative movement of the door and the other member is permitted when the door is blocked against movement during the tilting of the body, and a sacrifice member located between said sleeve and pin and adapted to yield when the door is blocked against closing, whereby to avoid a breakage of another part of the vehicle.

8. In a dump vehicle, a frame, a dum body tiltable for dumping to either side about fulcrums at the sides of said frame, said dump body being supported in stable equilibrium upon said fulcrums during normal transport, side doors forsaid dump body pivoted thereto, and independent, automatic and selective door controlling devices for said doors located beneath said body and extending across the-frame, each of said devices including mutually telescoping members to assure a permissive opening of the associated door during the tilting of said body about the adjacent fulcrum by the extension of said telscoping members, and a positive closing of said door by action in compression through said members during the return of said body from tilted position.

9. In a dump vehicle, a frame, a dump body tiltable for dumping to either side about fulcrums at the sides of said frame, said dump body being supported in stable equilibrium upon said fulcrums during normal transport, side doors for said dump body pivoted thereto, and independent, automatic and selective door controlling devices for said doors located beneath said body and extending across the frame, each of said devices including mutually telescoping members to assure a per missive opening of the associated door during the tilting of said body about the adjacent fulcrum by the extension of said telescoping members, and a positive closing of said door by action in compression through said members during the return of said body from tilted position, each of said devices including a sacrifice member located between the telescoping members and adapted to yield when the door is blocked against closing, whereby to avoid a breakage of another part of the vehicle.

10. In a dump vehicle, a frame, a dump body tiltable for dumping to either side about fulcrums at the sides of said frame, said dump body being supported in stable equilibrium upon said fulcrums during normal transport, side doors for said dump body pivoted thereto, and independent, automatic and selective door controlling devices for said doors lo cated beneath said body and extending across the frame, each of said devices including mutually telescoping members to assure a permissive opening of the associated door during the tilting of said body about the adjacent fulcrum by the extension of said telescoping members, and a positive closing of said door by action in compression through said members during the return of said body from tilted position, each of said devices including a sacrifice member located between the telescoping members and adapted to yield resiliently when the door is blocked against closing, whereby to avoid a breakage of another part of the vehicle. I

11. In a dump vehicle, a frame, a dump body tiltable for dumping to either side about fulerums at the sides of said frame, said dump body being supported in stable equilibrium upon said fulcrums during normal transport,

side doors for said dump body pivoted thereto, and independent, automatic and selective door controlling devices for said doors located beneath said body and extending across the frame, each of said devices including mutually telescoping members to assure a permissiveopening of the associated door during the tilting of said body about the adjacent fulcrum by the extension of said telescoping members, and a positive closing of said door by action in compression through said members during the return of said body from tilted position, each of said devices including a sacrifice member located between the telescoping members and adapted to be crushed when the door is blocked against closing, whereby to avoid a breakage of another part of the vehicle.

12. In a dump vehicle, a frame, a dump bo'dy mounted on the frame to be tiltable for dumping to one side of the-vehicle, a side door pivoted to said body and adapted to move during the tilting of the body whereby the load may be discharged, said door including a projecting arm, stop means on the body to limit the movement of said arm during the closing of the door, and a door controlling device cooperating with the body and frame and acting upon said arm to positively close the door during the return of the body from tilted position.

13. In a dump vehicle, a frame, a dump tion to said member, said pivot pin being held in its location when the body is in transport position by said plate. 7

14. In a dump vehicle, a frame, a dump body mounted on the frame to be tiltable for dumping to one side of the vehicle, a downfolding side door pivoted to said body and adapted to fold down during the tilting of the body whereby the load may be discharged, and a door controlling device having a member fixed relative to the frame during the tilting of the body, a depending arm on said door and an extensible link connection between said member and said depending arm, said body having downwardly extending spaced parallel plates between which said member, link and arm are positioned, and pivot pins to connect said link to said member and the door, said pins being normally held in position by said plates.

15. In a dump vehicle, a frame, a dump body mounted on the frame to be tiltable for dumping at either side of the vehicle, side doors pivoted to said body and adapted to open during the tilting of the body whereby the load may be discharged, and a door controlling device operated by a relative movement of the body and the frame under normal conditions to positively move the door, said .device including a sacrifice member adapted to yield when the door is blocked, whereby to avoid a breakage of another part of the vehicle.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature.

HENRY FORT FLOWERS.

body mounted on the frame to be tiltable for I dumping to one side of the vehicle, said body including downwardly extended spaced parallel plates, a side door pivoted to said body and adapted to move during the tilting of the body whereby the load may be discharged, and a door controlling device cooperating with the body and the frame to positively close the door during return of the body from tilted position, said device including a member with respect to which the body moves relatively during tilting, and .a connection between said member and the door, said member and connection being located between said plates, and a pivot pin holding said connec- 

